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Richard's Blog
A pleasure to be at Goodwood yesterday to witness Frankel's win. Once again I was lucky enough to be beside him as he was coming in after the race. In a similar fashion to Royal Ascot, there was hardly a bead of sweat on him and he was hardly blowing -which just proves how good he is.
Great racing for the two days I was there and always a fun meeting. Great to see so many of our owners present enjoying the Sussex Downs. I spent a very enjoyable Tuesday evening at Littlehampton with Bob and Pauline Scott and Adrian and Julia Powell and Barnsy joined us for fish and chips on the beach.
Worked a few of the string this morning and it was good to see those in from the field looking so well.
Delighted to report I found £40 in the car park at Goodwood, and if you were the previous owner of these two notes, hard luck. Also won the champagne bottle throwing competition last night, which is a trundle hill custom thanks to Andrew and Jane Nicholl's picnic.
Having won the £35 kitty, it paid for a very enjoyable trip to Sussex .
Worked a few horses this morning and they are progressing well. Optimism is high as the horses have come in from the field and they are looking good.
I had a nice day at Newmarket on Saturday with owner Fred Cooke. Whilst yesterday, I was kindly invited by Sir Martin Broughton to play golf with Francome in a charity day. Sir Martin is a former chairman of the BHB and had a share in Alderman Rose with us. He and his wife Jocelyn are great fun ad it is always nice to catch up.
Just to prove there is a God, Francome putted badly all day and it is always nice to see his face in frustrating agony.
Off to Goodwood today for my annual pilgrimage. Lots of owners to meet and greet on the Sussex downs and also includes a much enjoyable game of golf with owners Bob Scott and Adrian Powell.
More horses returning from their summer holidays today. Not many runners in prospect for the next week or so with only a few summer jumpers and flat horses.
One of my favourite races of the year, the King George, is being run tomorrow at Ascot . As previously stated Workforce would come second in the Eclipse and win the King George. Delighted to see young Joseph O'Brien given a chance on St Nicholas Abbey. Never mind nepotism, if wasn't up to it he wouldn't be onboard.
I see in the Racing Post today an article on how to ride Frankel. Typical of today's journalism, why don't they just let people get on with it.
Should be a great race at Goodwood next Wednesday. I would not have believed that Frankel had been idling at Ascot but from the fact I saw him pulling up that day in front of me and he was hardly blowing. However I would always rather be backing the horse that was coming from behind rather than the horse making the running.
21st
July, 2011 Tiger Line ran a cracker at Worcester yesterday eventually finishing second. She veered after a smack from jockey Jack Sherwood and probably next time we will try and just use hands and heels. Hopefully we will get a win out of her eventually but she is running consistently well.
Have been in Devon looking at horses on an annual trip with owners. We always stay in Woolacombe over night and it counts as my summer holiday.
Tiger Line runs in the 2.50pm today with Jack Sherwood onboard and let's hope she is in the mood. Worked a few this morning and all pleased.
We brought in a few from the paddocks yesterday so had a day of worming, flu vaccinations, mane pulling, tail cutting and shampooing.
Watched a bit of Murdoch and Brooks yesterday. How the police couldn't stop a bloke coming in with a shaving foam pie is quite beyond belief and no wonder the world is in trouble. I'd rather have Mrs Murdoch than Sir Paul Stevenson in charge of the MET.
Father Martin is no Christian and did not try at Windsor last night. Fergus Sweeney recommended that we try a pair of blinkers on him. Mick's Dancer is a bit high in the handicap but will hopefully be winning for us on the flat before the end of the season.
Tiger Line has been declared at Worcester tomorrow with Jack Sherwood onboard in an amateur riders handicap hurdle. I have known Jack since he was a little boy as my neighbour in Lambourn. He rides like his father but thankfully is not as lazy. He came to school her this morning and all went well and hopefully she will be in the money tomorrow.
We are bringing the horses back in so there is a lot of neighing and shouting but thankfully they have summered well and prospects look good.
The Adlestrop Club had a great day yesterday at the Cirencester Polo club. Commentator Bruce Urquhart, an old friend of mine was very entertaining. Whilst watching Charlie Gordon-Watson brought back memories of variety act Bernie Clifton. Amazing who you meet there. Edward Gillespie, Cheltenham Racecourse's dictator or director was in attendance. It was nice to see him struggling to get served for once.
I went to Giffords Circus on Saturday night. Always a good evening and apparently all I have to do is buy a big top and I can charge twenty quid a seat.
As I said in my acceptance speech, what luck that ever since I was a boy I loved horse racing. What luck I was surrounded by so many people who encourage you to do good. And what luck to have two wonderful parents, who if I have an ounce of humour or good in me it's thanks to them and their example.
Looking forward to winning the Grand National before I die.
Worked next weeks runners this morning and all went to plan.
We have had work experience lad this week in the shape of Xavier Barlow who skis for Scotland , which I must admit is a fat lot of good here in Adlestrop. I have known Xavier's mother for a long time and therefore he is bred to be abnormal. He certainly has not let us down on that front. He has been lucky as I have been in Scotland for most of the week and therefore has had very few rollickings. He has been christened ‘The X Man' because Indians and Pakistanis can't say Xavier.
He had a lift to Tescos from Barnsy on his first day. Barnsy organised to meet Xavier outside the store in five minutes. Some twenty minutes later, having stood outside the shop for quarter of an hour, Xavier rang me. “That man who gave me a lift here, said he would be outside waiting for me but I can't find him.” I then rang Barnsy to find out where he was, “where are you mate?” I asked. “I'ms at home” said Barnsy. “What about that lad you took to Tescos?” “Buggers me, I forgot all about him” said Barnsy.
Remarkable, unless you know Barnsy.
13th July, 2011
Just on the way back from my annual pilgrimage to Doncaster Bloodstock Sales golf tournament in Scotland . This year I am coming back early due to the Pride Of Racing Awards, so am not happy.
Around seventy of the great and good trainers, owners, jockeys, bloodstock agents etc were in attendance.
I played North Berwick yesterday with rugby legend Smokey Carr and owner Nigel Chamberlain. Today I played with Ian Balding and Irish pin hook guru, John Browne. Today was very special as the weather was so clement at Gullane golf course. Last night we had our annual dinner at Ray Anderson-Green's home. An evening of special food, wine and company which we all enjoy. The highlight was Richard Fahy's version of ‘Policeman in New York '. Amazing he remembers all the words, shame he can't sing.
Entries include Mick's Dancer, Father Martin and Tiger Line for next week. We are going to try Father Martin over a shorter trip whilst hopefully Tiger Line will finally get her head in front at Worcester in the amateur riders handicap hurdle.
Fair Breeze didn't try too hard on Friday night at Chepstow. Robert Havlin recommended that we should make the running over seven furlongs with a pair of cheek pieces on her. On homework there is definitely a race in her and lets hope these tactics work.
I went to Sue Welch's for Sunday lunch yesterday and had a feast of lamb with all the trimmings. Saw Sue's youngsters in the field and they are looking very well. Sue seems to have the midas touch when it comes to breeding young horses and we look forward to having a winner for her this coming season.
Thankfully missed the British Grand Prix as I hate motor racing since Graham Hill passed away. Tamara Ecclestone must be the luckiest girl in the world – very wealthy and looks nothing like her dad.
Thanks to Rupert Murdoch it looks as though Charlie Brooks will have to start training racehorses again soon.
A ridiculous amount of racing on Saturday. Why racecourses can't work it out amongst themselves in the good of racing instead of their own selfish interests is beyond me. This sport needs a leader but unfortunately I am too busy.
8th
July, 2011 Tiger Line ran a cracking race at Worcester on Wednesday. Under a fine ride from Jason Maguire, she stayed on well to take it up at the last before being beaten in a photo finish for second. Jason said there is definitely a race in her when things go her way.
Fair Breeze runs this evening at Chepstow and I am sure she will appreciate the rain they have had there. Robert Havlin rides her and hopefully she will get back to showing the form she did at Lingfield on the turf last season.
Sadly her half brother foal by Sleeping Indian had to be put down last week. David Redvers and his team at Tweenhills Stud did a fine job of trying to save him but unfortunately he had a joint infection that was incurable. The ups and downs of breeding.
On my way to Worcester to saddle Tiger Line in the 6.40pm. Hopefully she will put her best foot forward under Jason Maguire.
I have spent the day with BHA graduates at the National Stud in Newmarket . There are 21 of them and Sue Harvey and myself were asked to give an owner and trainer perspective presentation to them.
They are a great group of young people and after lunch I was one of the panel to listen to their group presentations on questions that were given to them at the start of their stay, some ten days ago. I felt a bit like Simon Cowell and I am pleased to say a few of them ‘nailed it'.
I will be the first trainer to employ a BHA graduate thanks to our sponsors Tori Global. Catriona Bissett, better known as ‘Cat' has got a degree in psychology and I am sure she will put it to great use with her two month placement starting next week.
Dear
All,
Just done a bit of pole work with Tiger Line in preparation of a run this week. We have few runners this time of year but have Fair Breeze entered at Chepstow on Friday. We are getting the yard ready for the influx of horses over the next few weeks.
I went to Chris Newport's wedding this weekend at Eastwell Manor in Kent . Eastwell Manor is owned by our owner Turloo Parrett and comes highly recommended. Chris has married the wonderful ‘Nash' and they are a great couple. Great fun was had by all.
On the way home yesterday I joined in on a sponsored walk in the Kent countryside with owner Helen Nixseaman. Parts of Kent are beautiful, other parts are not but it has made me decide to buy a new butterfly book.
I popped in to see auntie and mum on the way home. Delighted to see my brother's new BMW has been scraped by a Sainsburys lorry, just to prove there is a God.
Father Martin proved that he is a flat horse at Worcester on Wednesday when not getting the trip and now we will head for a mile and a quarter on the flat.
Yesterday I went to see a young horse of the Murdoch's being broken in by Melissa Chesterman. Melissa has broken in a few of our horses and always does a good job. Heard our former inmate, Look Up is now a star polo pony and apparently up to Tomlinson standard.
The yard is now getting smartened up for the horses to start coming in from the paddocks over the next few weeks and there is a smell of paint everywhere which always pleases me.
The Eclipse should be an interesting race tomorrow with So You Think taking on Workforce. It doesn't look as though the Stoute yard are in too good a form. Personally I think Workforce needs a mile and a half so he will be second tomorrow and win the King George.
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